For all the info on the Brewers Guild Awards including Past Winners, Awards Guide & Details of this years event click here

Kiwi Brewers Aim To Put Success on Tap

24th

September

2016

A record number of New Zealand breweries are vying to be crowned champion at New Zealand’s most prestigious beer awards, the 2016 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards.

Entries for the beer awards officially closed last week with more than 950 beers from 98 breweries nominated across 14 beer categories. 88 New Zealand breweries are entered, joining 10 breweries from Australia, Germany and the United States of America.

Brewers Guild chairman Jonathan Alve said strong domestic and international sales of New Zealand beer was underpinned through more variety in the taste, quality and originality of brews produced. This made the task of separating the best from the best exceptionally difficult.

“We’re expecting this year’s beers to be among the best ever submitted.

“Being named Champion Brewery is the ultimate accolade for a brewer. They are the only awards in New Zealand that are internationally recognised and judged independently by some of the world’s best beer brains.

“The honour roll of previous Champion Breweries includes large, established players through to small, and even one-man operations. All of them have demonstrated excellence in brewing skill to be crowned New Zealand’s Champion Brewery.”

The Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards is an international competition, with entries from throughout New Zealand and the world. Judging will take place over three days from 30 September with the judging panel comprising 25 national and internationally qualified judges.

All beer entries will be rated against a style guide for each category for its aroma, colour, bitterness, flavour and presentation. Top beers are judged on the overall balance of all characteristics with gold, silver or bronze medals.

Winners of the 2016 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday 8 October at the Langham Hotel in Auckland.

Melissa Cole, an award-winning United Kingdom beer writer and beer adviser to Michelin-starred restaurants, will announce New Zealand's Champion Brewery for 2016.

This year, Auckland has the most number of breweries vying for awards, with 26 breweries entered. Last year, LION was crowned New Zealand's best brewery.